December 2003 — Features

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Engaging Families With Technology

Finally, in our work interviewing and observing families, it has been our experience that technology programs that provide a direct benefit to parents almost always result in parents reporting increased self-esteem and self-confidence. Such benefits have a positive impact not only on the family and student, but also on the community at large. These advantages were evident even among families who experienced some difficulties in their computer training. It was not just the gaining of new technological skills and knowledge that made the difference, but the simple act of knowing that someone believed in them and cared enough to provide them with computer training.

Redefining Family Involvement

Technology affords families greater and more varied means of contributing to their children's academic experience. For example, parents who do not speak English can still assist with school papers by operating spelling and grammar software programs with computer-highlighted queries translated by students or marked by parents for students to solve independently. A large number of software programs are also available in multiple languages.

Non-English proficient parents who may be hesitant to speak with teachers in person, as well as parents who do not have the time to meet during normal school hours (e.g., parents who work multiple jobs) can still maintain regular communication with school personnel through e-mail. Families can also be kept up to date on classroom instruction, homework and special events via school and class Web pages. The opportunities for technology-based family involvement in children's education seem limitless.

Refining and Expanding Data Collection

Just as technology can bring families closer to education and facilitate involvement in their children's education, technology can also bring researchers and educators closer to accurately measuring these changes in participation. When intervening to improve parental involvement, how does one know whether the involvement has been successful. When working with diverse populations, it may be necessary to consider less conventional means of measuring outcomes. For example, PTA membership is a common indicator used to reflect parental involvement at school. However, organizations such as the PTA may not exist, particularly in high-poverty neighborhoods, or may levy dues on their members that some families cannot afford. In such situations, PTA membership cannot be expected to accurately reflect parental involvement or interest in participation with the school.

Technology opens new means for data collection and expands upon the types of data that can be obtained. For example, families for whom transportation is an obstacle need no longer be 'missing data.' In such instances, families could be e-mailed questions or interviewed over the computer. Surveys also could be completed online and used as a follow-up for incomplete or missing mailed surveys.

With data being input from a personal computer it would be easier to reach additional family members or caretakers who may be involved in a child's education. This is because questionnaires sent to a child's parents might not tap into this reality, and asking multiple family members to sit through an interview or attend a data collection session is too time consuming and infeasible. When data is collected from a source such as an online survey, evaluators do not have to worry about distributing the correct number of copies of the survey, paying for return postage, or having respondents lose materials such as the return address or envelope.